Parliamentary Answers

Andrew Turner: To ask the Leader of the House what steps he has taken since his appointment to improve the  (a) timeliness and  (b) content of parliamentary answers; and what information he collects on the percentage of answers which are given later than (i) the day named and (ii) the conventional deadline for written questions.

Jack Straw: Since my appointment I have made clear to the House the importance I attach to the timeliness and quality of responses to parliamentary questions tabled in the House. As I have indicated to the House, I have raised the matter directly with ministerial colleagues.
	Ministers recognise their obligation under the ministerial code to give accurate and truthful information to Parliament and to be as open as possible with Parliament. Ministers also recognise the requirements that a written question tabled for a named day should receive an answer on that day and an ordinary written question should receive a substantive response within a working week of it being tabled.
	My office offers guidance to other Departments about the handling of responses to the parliamentary questions. Departments are responsible for keeping their own records on the timeliness of answers and provide this information to the House when requested by the Select Committee on Public Administration or through Members questions. I also intend regularly to monitor these statistics from the start of the next Session.

Hastings to Bexhill Link Road

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the environmental impact of the proposed Hastings to Bexhill link road.

Stephen Ladyman: All major schemes are assessed against the Governments five overarching objectives of safety, environment, economy, integration and accessibility. The environmental impact of this scheme was considered before provisionally approving the Bexhill to Hastings Link Road in the December 2004 local transport capital settlement.

Railways

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which stations will have fewer stopping services  (a) under new franchise agreements completed by his Department since it took over responsibility for franchising from the Strategic Rail Authority and  (b) under the specifications for new franchise agreements which are currently subject to a tendering process.

Derek Twigg: The Department for Transport completed franchise agreements for the Great Western, Thameslink/Great Northern and Integrated Kent franchises in December 2005.
	Present service levels are contained in the National Rail timetable published by Network Rail. Service levels to be provided under the Greater Western franchise with effect from December 2006 are set out in the consultation timetable published by First Great Western in January 2006, as amended by the operator in announcements on 3 April and 15 June 2006. No changes to Thameslink/Great Northern services are proposed. Future changes to services in the Integrated Kent franchise are set out in briefing documents published on the Department's website.
	The South Western Franchise tenders have been received. The detailed specification for this is available on the Department's web site.
	The specification for the new Cross Country, West Midlands and East Midlands franchises is still being prepared and will not be finalised until October 2006.

Railways

Alistair Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many  (a) incidents there were of and  (b) prosecutions there were for (i) vandalism and (ii) trespass on railway lines in each British Transport police area in relation to (A) adults and (B) juveniles in each of the last five years.

Derek Twigg: This information is not held by the Department for Transport. Information relating to vandalism and trespass on railway lines is held by the British Transport police who can be contacted at: British Transport police, 25 Camden Road, London NW1 9LN, e-mail: general.enquiries@btp.pnn.police.uk.

Railways

Alistair Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many  (a) incidents there were of and  (b) prosecutions there were for (i) criminal damage and malicious mischief and (ii) trespass on rail lines in relation to (A) adults and (B) juveniles in each of the last five years, broken down by region.

Derek Twigg: This information is not held by the Department for Transport. Information relating to criminal damage and trespass on railway lines is held by the British Transport police who can be contacted at: British Transport police, 25 Camden Road, London NW1 9LN, E-mail: general.enquiries@btp.pnn.police.uk.

Wide Loads

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  what guidelines his Department has issued to  (a) police constabularies and  (b) the Highways Agency regarding the movement of wide loads on roads;
	(2)  if he will introduce guidelines to police constabularies and the Highways Agency that wide loads should not be moved during peak times on motorways and major trunk roads.

Stephen Ladyman: The Department has not issued any specific guidelines.
	We have published a code of practice on the self-escorting of abnormal loads, prepared jointly by the Department, the Highways Agency, the police and haulage associations. It encourages scheduling movements at off-peak times when there is less traffic.
	The Highways Agency and the police would normally restrict the movement of wide loads that have a significant impact on other road users to times which cause minimum disruption. However, disruption to other road users is not the only consideration. Other factors, such as safety, security and environmental issues (such as noise and disturbance in residential areas) can influence the timetabling of movements.
	As there is already a general acceptance that loads should be moved at off peak times I do not feel that there is a need to issue any specific guidelines, however this remains under review.

Animal Welfare

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what criteria he has agreed with the greyhound racing industry in order to allow it to self-regulate in terms of animal welfare; and if he will make a statement.

Ben Bradshaw: Defra has set up a Greyhound Working Group to examine the welfare aspects of greyhound racing and to offer advice to Ministers and officials on future regulations and a code of practice.
	The group has yet to make any recommendations. Our preference is that, whenever possible, welfare standards should be regulated by the industry. Self-regulation must be open and auditable, with the standards set and the effectiveness of the enforcers monitored by central Government.

Diversity Action Plan

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much was spent on the Countryside Agency's Diversity Review; how much he expects the consultation "Outdoors for All?" draft diversity action plan will cost; and how much has been allocated to the running costs of the diversity action plan for each year of its planned duration.

Barry Gardiner: Between 2002 and 2005 the Countryside Agency spent some £1.74 million on the diversity review. In 2006-07 spending on the consultation exercise on the draft diversity action plan is expected to be in the region of £1 million.
	No firm figures are available on costs from 2007 onwards. A draft action plan is currently the subject of a public consultation exercise, and until that has been completed no conclusions can be reached about the activities to be undertaken during the 10 year life of the plan or their cost. The agency has estimated that the cost of pursuing the draft action plan might be in the region of £25 million over its 10 year life.

Energy Efficiency

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate he has made of the effect on energy consumption of energy efficiency measures over the last 10 years.

Ian Pearson: Figures for the effect on energy consumption within the UK by energy saving measures for this particular period are not readily available. However, for the climate change programme review, we prepared estimates of the effects on carbon emissions for the household sector in the 1990s and separately for the present decade.
	The Government estimate that energy efficiency improvements in the household sector in the 1990s would have contributed around 4.5 million tonnes of carbon (MtC) of emissions reductions, that is, some 12 per cent. of 1990 emissions. At the same time, growth in demand for underlying energy services—warmer homes, hot water—would have increased emissions by 11.5 MtC; the increase in the use of gas for generating electricity instead of coal in the 1990s, which reduced emissions from power stations, and so reduced the associated emissions from electricity use in homes, businesses, etc, would have decreased emissions by 8 MtC; and smaller factors, mainly fuel switching by householders and changes to external temperatures, would have contributed a further 1 MtC of reductions. The overall effect on emissions was a net reduction of around 2.5 MtC.
	In the present decade, before the effects of policies are included, we estimate that background energy efficiency would save a further 4.5 MtC. Increasing demand for energy services, together with the effects of the other factors described earlier, means that the net overall reduction in this period would be approximately 0.3 MtC.
	The estimated effect of all the energy efficiency policies for households set out in the new UK climate change programme 2006, is an additional reduction of 4.8 MtC by 2010. Most of these savings are expected to be delivered between 2005 and 2010, through tighter building regulations and further activity under the energy efficiency commitment.
	Data are not available to conduct similar analyses for the industry and service sectors, but the contribution of energy efficiency is expected to be similar in percentage terms.

Fisheries

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs why the Environment Agency has reduced the fish movement enforcement budget.

Ben Bradshaw: The fisheries grant in aid was increased by £3 million a year from 2002, and since 1997 the Government have given around £60 million to the Environment Agency to support its fisheries activities. At present, every Government Department is under instructions to make efficiency savings. This generally involves a fundamental review of the work to be done, a reprioritisation of our responsibilities and how we manage them. Consequently, the Environment Agency GIA was reduced this year by £400,000.
	Of the £5.8 million in GIA, £600,000 is spent on compliance checking and enforcement of fish movements. A reduction in GIA therefore necessitated a reduction in funding for work in this area by £150,000. If sales of rod licences are above target this year the agency may be able to make good part or all of this cut.

Fisheries

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs why the Environment Agency has reduced funding for the salmonid improvement project.

Ben Bradshaw: The fisheries grant in aid was increased by £3 million a year from 2002, and since 1997 the Government have given around £60 million to the Environment Agency to support its fisheries activities. At present every Government Department is under instructions to make efficiency savings. This generally involves a fundamental review of the work to be done, a reprioritisation of our responsibilities and how we manage them. As a result the Environment Agency has had its fisheries grant in aid (GIA) reduced this year by £400,000.
	Consequently, since the majority of the £5.8 million GIA is spent on salmonid work a reduction in GIA necessitated a reduction in work in this area and the agency reduced its salmonid improvement project by half, to £250,000.

Water Companies

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the projected rate of return on capital allowed under agreed plans for 2005-10 with Ofwat is for each water company; and what rate of return on capital was achieved by each company in each of the last five years.

Ian Pearson: Ofwat publishes pre-tax rates of return—measured as operating profit as a percentage of regulatory capital value—in its annual report "Financial performance and expenditure of the water companies in England and Wales". Post-tax returns have not previously been published. The figures in the table have been calculated as operating profit less current tax, as a percentage of regulatory capital value.
	At the 2004 price review, Ofwat set a real terms post-tax return of 5.1 per cent. When comparing this to actual returns the comparable rate is the "Vanilla WACC (Weighted Average Cost of Capital)". This is on a real basis and assumes a pre tax cost of debt and post tax cost of equity—on this basis the return that Ofwat set was 5.8 per cent.
	Water only companies were allowed a premium on the return of 0.3—0.9 per cent.
	At price limits, Ofwat takes companies' particular levels of debt into account before allowing for tax.
	
		
			  Post tax return 
			  Percentage 
			   2000-01  2001-02  2002-03  2003-04  2004-05 
			 Anglian 5.1 6.2 4.0 6.4 5.5 
			 Dwr Cymru 5.4 5.9 4.6 4.1 4.6 
			 Northumbrian 5.9 6.3 5.2 4.6 5.6 
			 Severn Trent 7.0 6.9 6.1 6.1 5.9 
			 South West 6.7 6.5 6.5 6.2 4.8 
			 Southern 6.1 5.2 5.1 4.2 5.0 
			 Thames 3.4 6.7 6.3 5.4 5.6 
			 United Utilities 5.7 6.0 5.7 6.0 6.5 
			 Wessex 6.9 6.7 9.1 7.7 7.1 
			 Yorkshire 5.6 6.4 5.9 5.4 6.0 
			 Bournemouth and West Hampshire 4.8 5.5 4.7 4.7 5.2 
			 Bristol 6.4 6.4 6.6 6.1 4.0 
			 Cambridge 5.5 6.4 7.4 23.0 9.0 
			 Dee Valley 8.4 8.4 5.1 7.2 8.6 
			 Folkestone and Dover 9.4 9.3 8.1 6.3 7.4 
			 Mid Kent 5.9 6.9 3.1 6.9 6.4 
			 Portsmouth 9.8 8.6 6.4 6.6 6.3 
			 South East 6.8 6.5 6.3 5.1 2.5 
			 South Staffordshire 7.1 6.6 7.5 6.5 6.8 
			 Sutton and East Surrey 6.3 9.9 10.9 6.6 9.6 
			 Tendring Hundred 6.4 6.9 5.9 6.6 6.7 
			 Three Valleys 6.1 6.3 5.1 3.8 6.3 
			 Industry 5.6 6.3 5.7 5.7 5.7

Carbon Capture

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what research he has commissioned on advanced coal technologies and carbon capture and storage since 1997; and what the cost was of such research.

Malcolm Wicks: The UK's Cleaner Coal Technology programme started in 1999. Under this programme we have supported 48 collaborative R and D projects on advanced coal technologies through four calls to the value of £13 million as well as a significant number of small R and D projects in collaboration with British Coal Utilisation Research Association for which some £150,000 per year was allocated. In all 174 Cleaner Coal projects have been supported to date, with an additional £3.5 million provided for collaborative Cleaner Coal Technology projects with the USA since then. Under the Department's new Technology programme (the successor to the Cleaner Coal programme) £3.5 million was set aside for carbon abatement (including carbon capture and storage) R and D projects during 2005-06.
	We published two reports produced internally investigating carbon capture and storage and the results of these can be found in "The Review of Carbon Capture and Storage in the UK" and "The Carbon Abatement Technology (CAT) Strategy for Fossil Fuel Use", both of which can be found in the Libraries of the House. Both reports can also be found on the DTI Website at
	http://www.dti.gov.uk/energy/coal/cfft/co2capture/review.pdf
	http://www.dti.gov.uk/energy/coal/cfft/cct/pub/catreportlinked.pdf.

Coal Industry

Dai Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what opportunities will be available via the coal forum proposed in the Energy Review to discuss development and export opportunities for clean coal and carbon capture from coal-fired generation.

Malcolm Wicks: As stated in the "Energy Review Report" further information about the Forum's remit and particulars will be announced shortly. We will need to take views on how the participants in the Coal Forum will wish to address the clean coal and CCS part of their remit.

Ethnic Diversity

Andrew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps his Department is taking to promote ethnic diversity in the workplace.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) has a public service agreement (shared with the Department for Work and Pensions) to significantly increase the employment rate of ethnic minorities. DTI is part of the Ethnic Minority Employment Task force—the Government wide group tasked with increasing ethnic minority employment.
	The DTI also brought in regulations outlawing workplace discrimination on the grounds of religion or belief.
	DTI funds AC AS and BusinessLink who both provide advice to businesses on equality issues and increasing ethnic diversity in the workforce.

FIFA World Cup

Greg Hands: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry which matches  (a) he and  (b) other Ministers in his Department attended at the FIFA World Cup 2006 in Germany in their ministerial capacity; at what cost to public funds; and with what contributions from third party organisations.

Jim Fitzpatrick: Neither my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State or any of the Ministers in his Department attended FIFA World Cup 2006 matches in Germany.

National Grid

Alistair Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what recent discussions he has had with  (a) the Scottish Executive,  (b) Ofgem and  (c) the National Grid company regarding an undersea connector cables linking Orkney and Shetland to the National Grid; and when he anticipates these connections being in place.

Malcolm Wicks: None.
	The provision of a cable connection to the Orkneys and the Shetland Islands is a matter for the transmission licensee for the relevant area—in this case Scottish and Southern (SHETL). It is the responsibility of Ofgem to ensure that any expenditure incurred in constructing the cable is economically and efficiently incurred.
	Officials from this Department have held discussion with the Scottish Executive and Ofgem on the most appropriate way of facilitating those connections.

Postal Services

Dai Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment he has made of the impact on employment in  (a) Blaenau Gwent and  (b) other local economies of the closure of local post offices.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The Government are committed to a viable Post Office network and have invested more than £2 billion to help maintain it. We continue to support the rural post office network with annual Social Network Payments of £150 million until 2008 and the policy of preventing avoidable closures of rural post offices remains in place. The Department is in discussion with Post Office Ltd. and other Government departments about the future of the network. Decisions will be taken after proper consideration of all the issues.

Postal Services

Paul Keetch: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what discussions have taken place between  (a) Ministers and  (b) officials from his Department and Royal Mail on the new pricing system due to be introduced on 21 August; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Fitzpatrick: None. This is a Matter for Postcomm, the independent regulator for postal services.
	Postcomm's decision to introduce pricing in proportion followed extensive consultations and detailed discussions with Royal Mail.

Royal Mail

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what recent discussions have taken place between his Department and Royal Mail on possible job losses in the Royal Mail group.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The Government have given the Royal Mail group greater commercial freedom and has established an arm's length relationship so that the board can operate the business as it decides best to meet the challenges of market development and changing customer needs.
	The Department has held discussions with Royal Mail about its plans to modernise the business through the introduction of new technology and equipment. It is for the Royal Mail management to decide on the appropriate size of the Royal Mail work force as a result of this modernisation.

South East England Development Agency

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the annual expenditure of the South East England Development Agency in each  (a) county and  (b) unitary authority in the south east of England was in each year since its inception.

Margaret Hodge: I refer the hon. Member to the question answered on 17 July 2006,  Official Report, Columns 43-44W.

Tourism (South West)

Paul Holmes: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many tourists have visited the South West region in each year since 1997.

Shaun Woodward: holding answer 18 July 2006
	The following tables set out the number of visits to the South West region from (i) overseas and (ii) the UK where this included an overnight stay. Information is provided between 2000 and 2005, equivalent data prior to this period is not available.
	
		
			  Inbound visits to the South West by year 
			   Visit (all) 
			 2000 2,042 
			 2001 1,689 
			 2002 1,852 
			 2003 1,885 
			 2004 2,033 
			 2005 (1)2,137 
			 (1 )2005 data is provisional.  Source: International Passenger Survey (ONS). 
		
	
	
		
			  Domestic overnight trips to the South West by year 
			   Visit (all) 
			 2000 24,700 
			 2001 25,200 
			 2002 26,000 
			 2003 22,800 
			 2004 (1)20,500 
			 2005 (2)21,280 
			 (1 )VisitBritain believes the old UKTS methodology significantly underreported 2004. (2) In 2005 an improved methodology was introduced for UKTS so direct comparison with previous years is not appropriate.  Source: UK Tourism Survey (National Tourist Boards) 
		
	
	In addition, the South West region receives a substantial number of day visitors, the last Leisure Day Visitors Survey in 2002-03 recorded a total of 48 million day visitors to the region.

Burma

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what humanitarian aid his Department is providing to people displaced from Eastern Burma; and if he will make a statement.

Gareth Thomas: There are three types of internally displaced people (IDPs) in Eastern Burma. These are (with the latest available numbers, from October 2005): (i) people in temporary settlements in ceasefire areas administered by ethnic nationalities (340,000); (ii) villagers who have been evicted by the Burmese Government and moved into designated relocation sites (108,000); and (iii) civilians hiding from the Burmese Army in areas most affected by armed conflict (92,000).
	The recent military offensive against the Karen people has swelled the number of civilians hiding in conflict areas by at least 15,000. DFID's approach to providing emergency assistance to these IDPs has been to work through local community groups inside Burma. This is a complementary approach to the use of relief teams operating cross-border from Thailand, and it enables access to IDPs who would not be reached by any other means, and through a mechanism which is much less-well supported by other donors. The development of civil society within the country is also a fundamental step in a successful transition to democracy.
	The number of IDPs that we can reach from inside the country is limited. Access is difficult, and the small local groups with whom we are working do not currently have the capacity to deliver greater volumes of emergency relief—although we are working to strengthen their ability to do more. Those delivering assistance to IDPs cross-border from Thailand face similar challenges. Therefore, we recognise the importance of maintaining co-ordination with all donors (both those delivering assistance cross border, and those working inside the country) to ensure that together we manage to reach as many IDPs as possible.
	DFID also provides support to IDPs in temporary settlements in ceasefire areas in eastern Burma through the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), to which we provide £500,000 a year, of which approximately 75 per cent. is attributable to work with displaced people in this area.
	In addition, our health, education and rural livelihood projects provide assistance in eastern Burma, and support internally displaced people in temporary settlements and designated relocation sites there, as well as other vulnerable people.
	DFID is also providing support to non-governmental organisations (NGOs) working among displaced Burmese people in the refugee camps on the Thai side of the Thai-Burma border—as a grant to the Thai Burma Border Consortium (TBBC) of £1.8 million over three years. In addition, the UK contributes approximately the same amount again as its share of the EC's support to the TBBC. The British Embassy in Bangkok advocates on behalf of Burmese refugees living in Thailand through the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) to improve the situation in the refugee camps in Thailand and to bring about a relaxation of the regulations prohibiting freedom of movement and employment outside the camps.
	In parallel, the Government fully supports international efforts, particularly through the UN, to bring about tangible progress in restoring democratic freedoms and full respect for human rights. The UK has co-sponsored successive highly critical UN resolutions on Burma and played a leading role in drafting the resolution most recently adopted at the UN General Assembly in December 2005. This expressed grave concern at the attacks by military forces in violation of cease-fire agreements and called on the regime to end the systematic violations of human rights, including enforced displacement.
	UN Security Council members last discussed the situation in Burma on 16 December under 'Any Other Business'. In this discussion, the UK highlighted the on-going human rights abuses, the detention of political prisoners, internal conflicts and the spread of HIV/AIDS and other diseases. Though there was no consensus to issue a presidential statement or other formal report, the discussions reflected the concern felt in many parts of the international community over the regime's failure to make progress towards democracy and to respect international human rights norms. At present there is no agreement within the Security Council, including among the permanent members, to add Burma to the Council's formal agenda, but the UK, through the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, will continue to co-ordinate closely with the UN and partners in the Security Council and the region in considering how best to maintain pressure for positive change in Burma.

Hospices

Fabian Hamilton: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps he has  (a) taken and  (b) plans to take to help improve access to hospice and palliative care in resource poor countries; and if he will make a statement.

Gareth Thomas: The UK is committed to the development of health services that respond to the broad health needs of the population, and palliative care clearly has a vital place in this. DFID support is largely directed at countries where the health spend is less than $10 per person per year and often far less, the public spend in the Congo is $2, in Ethiopia $1.50 and in Burundi $0.70. Clearly these countries are not able to deliver the range of services that they would wish and realistically are unlikely to invest significant public budgets in palliative care. We support countries to deliver their health programmes and the priority interventions defined in their national health plan. Increasingly we provide resources through various forms of flexible budget support.
	DFID officials have met staff from the hospice community on a number of occasions, most recently during a public consultation on a revised DFID health strategy. Many committed groups lobby DFID to make greater efforts on what they see as neglected areas in the international health response. Recent communications have challenged DFID to do more on palliative care, cancer services, neglected tropical diseases, blindness, disability, malnutrition and non-communicable diseases. DFID accepts that palliative care services need to be better reflected in national health plans and budgets and that realistically support needs to be provided through home based rather than institutional settings.

Iraq

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps his Department is taking to provide emergency medical supplies for children in Iraq; and if he will make a statement.

Hilary Benn: The Iraqi health care system faces enormous challenges which long pre-date the 2003 conflict. In the early 1980s, Iraq enjoyed some of the best healthcare in the Middle East. However, by 2000, international health indicators for Iraq were comparable with some of the poorest countries in Africa. Under-five mortality had increased from 50 per 1,000 in 1990 to 133 in 2001. One in four children under five were chronically malnourished. Hospitals, clinics and water and sanitation plants suffered from chronic lack of maintenance.
	DFID has given most of its assistance to the Iraqi health sector through financial contributions to international organisations that have particular expertise in health. These contributions include:
	£5 million to the World Health Organisation (WHO), which has helped to fund the delivery of emergency medical supplies, supported clinics and hospitals in Baghdad and Basra, and supports the Iraqi Government's Health Sector Working Group. More information can be found at http://www.who.int/en.
	£32 million to the International Red Cross for immediate humanitarian assistance
	£70 million to the United Nations and World Bank multi-donor trust funds for Iraq. These trust funds finance reconstruction in a number of areas including health. The UN trust fund has approved 10 health and nutrition projects, in total valued at $96 million. The World Bank trust fund also has a $25 million health rehabilitation project which finances priority emergency services, including basic medical equipment and essential drugs. More information on both trust funds can be found at http://www.irffi.org
	However, many challenges still remain and DFID and the international community will continue to work with the Iraqi authorities help them to rebuild the health sector.
	Important progress has been made: healthcare spending across Iraq is up more than 30 times on pre-war levels; 5 million children have been vaccinated, and diseases such as polio, measles and malaria have declined; and 240 hospitals and 1,200 primary health centres are functioning; 20 hospitals are being rehabilitated and a paediatric hospital is being built in Basra.

Children with Difficulties

Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many children in  (a) West Sussex and  (b) Mid Sussex are classified as having emotional, social or behavioural difficulties.

Parmjit Dhanda: holding answer 17 July 2006
	The information is given in the following table.
	
		
			  Maintained primary and secondary and all special schools( 1,2) : number and percentage of pupils at school action plus or with statements of SEN who are classified as having emotional, behavioural and social difficulties( 3,4,5) . January 2006: West Sussex local authority and mid Sussex parliamentary constituency 
			   West Sussex local authority  Mid Sussex parliamentary constituency 
			   Number  Percentage( 6)  Number  Percentage( 6) 
			 Maintained primary 775 16.8 99 20.1 
			 Maintained secondary 1,241 32.1 109 22.4 
			 All special schools 219 14.8 44 15.8 
			 (1) Includes middle schools as deemed.  (2) Includes maintained and non-maintained special schools. Excludes general hospital school.  (3) Pupils at Schools Action Plus and those pupils with a statement of SEN provided information on their primary need and, if appropriate, their secondary need. Information on primary need only is given here. Data is not collected on pupils at School Action.  (4) Excludes dually registered pupils.  (5) There are a number of sensitivities about categorising pupils by their type of need. It is important that anyone using the data should be aware of the concerns and also understand the limitations of the data's reliability and validity. There are a range of factors which may affect the data recorded: (i) definitions of each type of need are necessarily limited in scope and some are more difficult to establish; (ii) many children have a number of needs and it is sometimes difficult to decide which is the major need; (iii) professionals from education and health fields may classify some children differently and there is some evidence that parental background may sometimes affect diagnosis; (iv) the levels of identification of SEN and the levels of School Action, School Action Plus and statementing within SEN are very varied between local authorities—this is likely to affect some types of need more than others; (v) in some authorities funding policies may effect SEN identification.  (6) Number of pupils with emotional, behavioural and social difficulties expressed as a percentage of the total number of pupils at School Action Plus or with a statement of SEN.   Source:  Schools Census

Departmental Chief Accounting Officer

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the  (a) name,  (b) professional and academic qualifications and  (c) relevant experience are of the chief accounting officer of his Department.

Parmjit Dhanda: The chief accounting officer of the Department for Education and Skills is the Permanent Secretary, David Bell.
	Mr Bell has a Master of Arts and a Master of Education (Glasgow), and a Postgraduate Certificate of Education (Jordanhill College of Education).
	He began his career in teaching where he became a primary head teacher in Essex. He has also held the posts of Director of Education at Newcastle city council and chief executive of Bedfordshire county council, before being appointed Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Schools by Her Majesty in Privy Council. He became chief inspector in 2002. David took up his current post on 1 January 2006.
	The role of accounting officer is one that the Permanent Secretary combines with his personal responsibility for the overall organisation, management and staffing of the Department and for Department-wide procedures in financial and other matters.
	The accounting officer is assisted in the discharge of these duties by suitably qualified and experienced senior managers, such as the Director General of Finance.

Early-years Provision

Maria Miller: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many  (a) nursery,  (b) playgroup and  (c) day-care providers charged a fee in 2005-06 to make up the difference between the money received from Government to fund provision for three and four-year-olds and the cost of provision.

Beverley Hughes: The information requested is not collected centrally.
	The entitlement should be made available free at the point of delivery. It is not acceptable for parents to have to pay a fee or for there to be any conditionally attached to the free entitlement. This would restrict the choice of provider for some families and, in some cases, deny children access to the free entitlement. Charges for care beyond the hours of the free entitlement are a private matter between the provider and parent.
	From April 2006, funding for the free nursery education entitlement to local authorities has been provided through the Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG). Local authorities have discretion over the rate at which they fund settings for delivery of early years provision.
	The code of practice on the provision of free nursery education places for three and four year-olds says that local authorities should fund provision delivered in different sectors on a fair and equitable basis, taking into account local needs and circumstances.

Early-years Provision

Maria Miller: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many children are  (a) taking up and  (b) eligible for the free (i) nursery, (ii) playgroup and (iii) day-care provision for three and four year olds in 2006-07.

Beverley Hughes: The information is not collected in the form requested.
	Since April 2004 all three and four year olds have been entitled to a free, good quality, part-time early education place. The free entitlement consists of a minimum of 12.5 hours per week for 38 weeks of the year and will be extended to 15 hours a week by 2010. By that time, parents who wish to do so will also be able to access the free entitlement flexibly across a minimum of three days.
	Some local authorities may additionally offer subsidised childcare places but information on this is not collected centrally.
	The available information on the number of three and four year olds taking up free early education places is shown in table 1.
	Provisional figures for January 2006 show that all four year old children receive some form of free entitlement. The figure for three year olds is 96 per cent. This covers all maintained, private, voluntary and independent providers and represents 538,800 three year olds and 558,200 four year olds.
	The latest figures on early education places for three and four year olds in England were published in Statistical First Release 17/2006 "Provision for children under five years of age in England—January 2006 (provisional)" in April, which is available on my Department's website www.dfes.gov.uk/rsgateway/.
	Final figures for January 2006 will be published in Statistical First Release "Provision for children under five years of age in England—January 2006 (final)" at 9:30 am on 31 August 2006, which will also be made available on my Department's website www.dfes.gov.uk/rsgateway/.
	
		
			  Table 1: Number of three and four year olds taking up nursery education places( 1, 2, 3)  by type of early education provider, England 2002-06( 4) ,( ) position in January each year 
			   2002  2003  2004  2005  2006 provisional 
			  Private and voluntary providers( 5)  
			 Number 379,800 428,600 (6) 445,300 (6) 432,800 (6) 431,000 (6) 
			 Percentage of population(7) 32 37 39 39 38 
			 Number taking up free places 274,000(8) 365,100(6, 8) 388,600(8) 396,700(6, 8) 397,100(9, 10) 
			 Percentage of population(7) 23 31 34 35 35 
			   
			  Independent schools( 11)  
			 Number 56,800 55,800 54,700 52,000 48,100 
			 Percentage of population(7) 5 5 5 5 4 
			 Number taking up free places 31,900 (8) 40,500 (6, 8) 38,400( 8) 39,200 (6, 8) 38,300 (9, 10) 
			 Percentage of population(7) 3 3 3 3 3 
			   
			  Maintained nursery and primary schools:  
			 Number 701,200 690,900 676,500 663,800 658,000 
			 Percentage of population(7) 59 59 59 59 59 
			   
			  Nursery schools and nursery classes in primary schools  
			 Number 341,400 331,300 320,200 312,300 312,800 
			 Percentage of population(7) 29 28 28 28 28 
			   
			  Infant classes in primary schools( 12)  
			 Number 359,900 359,500 356,300 351,500 345,200 
			 Percentage of population(7) 30 31 31 31 31 
			   
			  Special schools ( 13, 14)  
			 Number 4,800 4,400 4,100 3,700 3,600 
			 Percentage of population(7) — — — — — 
			   
			  All providers( 15)  
			 Number 1,142,700 1,179,700 (6) 1,180,500 (6) 1,152,400 (6) 1,140,800 
			 Percentage of population(7) 96 101 103 103 102 
			 Number taking up free places 1,012,000 1,100,900(6, 8) 1,107,500(8) 1,103,400 (6, 8) 1,097,000 (9, 10) 
			 Percentage of population(7) 85 94 97 98 98 
			 — = less than 0.5 per cent.  (1 )Headcount of children aged three and four at 31 December in the previous calendar year, rounded to the nearest hundred.  (2) Numbers of three and four year olds in schools may include some two year olds.  (3) Any child attending more than one provider may have been counted twice.  (4 )Provisional  (5) Includes some Local Authority providers (other than schools) registered to receive Nursery Education Grants; excludes independent schools and providers not registered to receive nursery education grants.  (6)Scaled up from the data as returned by providers to all providers of early years education.  (7) Numbers of three and four year olds taking up places expressed as a percentage of the three and four year old population.  (8) Providers returned the number of places for three and four year olds for which they had received or expected to receive funding.  (9) Local Authorities returned the number of funded three and four year olds for which they expected to receive funding.  (10 )Scaled up from the data as returned by Local Authorities to all providers of early years education.  (11) Includes direct grant nursery schools.  (12) includes reception and other classes not designated as nursery classes.  (13 )Includes general hospital schools.  (14) Excludes pupils who are also registered elsewhere.  (15 )Rounding of components may cause discrepancies in totals.

Early-years Provision

Maria Miller: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 
	(1)  what the total budget is in 2006-07 for the free  (a) nursery,  (b) playgroup and  (c) day-care provision for three and four-year-olds;
	(2)  what average funding his Department provided per head to local authorities for free  (a) nursery,  (b) playgroup and  (c) day-care provision for three and four year olds in 2005-06.

Beverley Hughes: For 2005-06, funding for children under five within the total of Schools Formula Spending Shares (FSS) was £2,886 million and the average unit of funding was £3,220 across all settings. From 2006-07, Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) replaced Schools FSS: £82 million was added to the total of DSG for 2006-07 to fund the expansion of the early years entitlement from 33 weeks to 38 weeks per year. Funding for under fives is not identified separately within DSG, and there is a single guaranteed unit of funding for each authority, the average of which is £3,640.

School Sports

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what measures he is taking  (a) to increase participation in sporting activities at schools and  (b) to widen the number of sporting activities that are available to pupils while at school.

Jim Knight: The Government are investing over £1.5 billion (including lottery funding) in the five years to 2008 to implement the national school sport strategy. The Departments for Education and Skills and for Culture, Media and Sport share a public service agreement target to increase the percentage of 5 to 16-year-olds who spend a minimum of two hours each week on high quality physical education and school sport to 75 per cent. by 2006 and 85 per cent. by 2008. The long-term ambition—by 2010—is to offer all children four hours of sport. Spearheading action is the creation of a national network of sports colleges and school sport partnerships.
	Good progress is being made. Currently 80 per cent. of schools in England are within a school sport partnership and all schools will be by September 2006. The 2004/05 school sport survey found that 69 per cent. of pupils in schools within a partnership were spending at least two hours in a typical week on high quality physical education and sport, an 11 per cent. increase on 2003/04. The survey also found that partnership schools offer on average almost 15 different sports. Copies of the 2003/04 and 2004/05 survey reports have been placed in the House Library.

Slave Trade

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what representations he has received on including teaching on the slave trade as part of the national curriculum; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: Members of the Deputy Prime Minister's Advisory Group on the 2007 Bicentenary of the Abolition of the Slave Trade have raised this issue on a number of occasions. I am also aware that there have been a large number of letters on the issue addressed to the lead officers at the qualifications and curriculum authority who are responsible for developing the national curriculum. Although we are reducing the amount of detailed prescription in the national curriculum, I am keen to see what can be done to ensure that this important part of our nation's history is properly understood. The £910,000 of funding that my Department is providing for the understanding slavery initiative (www.understandingslavery.com), in partnership with the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, is an important part of this.

Abortion

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland who the members of the working party on guidance on abortion in Northern Ireland are; what relevant specialist qualifications each holds; what the career of each has been to date; what criteria were used in selecting them; how many and what percentage are on the public record as  (a) supporting and  (b) opposing abortion; when the working party has met; what the (i) location and (ii) duration of each meeting was; whether a record of each meeting was kept; who attended each meeting; if he will list public meetings organised by the working party; who addressed each meeting; at what cost; who attended each public meeting; whether a record of each public meeting was kept; what the cost was of each public meeting, broken down by (A) administrative costs, (B) costs of refreshments and (C) other costs; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Goggins: Members of the working party were not asked about their personal views on abortion as the intention was that the working party should comprise individuals from a wide range of professional and specialty backgrounds including nursing and midwifery, obstetrics and gynaecology, public health, psychiatry, clinical genetics, family planning doctors and general practitioners.
	The working party has met twice. The first time was 4 May 2005 at The Mount in Belfast and the second time was on 19 December 2005 at Castle Buildings, Stormont. The meeting on 4 May, was exploratory in nature, and to enable a free and frank exchange of views no formal record was taken. Minutes of the meeting on 19 December at Castle Buildings will be placed the Library. This document includes details of members of the working party.
	No public meetings have been held by the working party.

Adoption

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the decision to allow civil partnership couples the right to adopt children in Northern Ireland.

Paul Goggins: No one has the "right" to adopt and the proposed new legislation will continue to uphold this principle. However, the law must establish basic criteria which a person must satisfy in order to be eligible to apply to adopt. Under Northern Ireland's existing adoption legislation, the Adoption (Northern Ireland) Order 1987, a single person of either sex, irrespective of their sexual orientation, may apply to adopt a child. Only married couples may apply to adopt a child jointly. Civil partners, however, are unable to adopt either jointly or singly.
	On 4 July I launched a public consultation "Adopting the Future", which outlines a proposed strategy for adoption services in Northern Ireland. One of the proposals designed to increase the opportunities for children to be adopted, is that civil partners and unmarried couples (whether of different sexes or the same sex) living as partners in an enduring family relationship should be eligible to adopt jointly.
	As is currently the case, where persons are eligible to adopt, they will be required to undergo a rigorous assessment of their suitability before any placement or adoption can take place. Every child deserves a safe and happy childhood. Where this is not possible within their own family or extended family, it is essential that every effort is made to secure permanence for the child as early as possible. If a couple in an enduring partnership can demonstrate that they can provide a child with a secure and happy home, where that child can thrive and be cared for into adulthood and beyond, the law should at least allow the couple to be assessed.
	I am aware that this is a sensitive issue and would reiterate that these proposals are part of a consultation process. Everyone who has a contribution to make is welcome to do so and all views will be taken into consideration.

Adoption

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what precautions will be put in place by social services when children are placed for adoption in civil partnership settings.

Paul Goggins: In order to be approved as adoptive parents, any prospective adopter or couple is required to undergo a stringent assessment process carried out by an adoption agency over a period of several months. The assessment includes:
	Checks on medical history and police checks
	Current conditions in the applicants lives
	Relationship stability
	Motives for adoption
	Knowledge and experience of children
	Capacity for the parenting role
	Expectations concerning the child
	Identity and culture
	Relations and other social networks
	Personality and interests
	Religion and attitude to life
	Openness to individual difference
	Proper assessment is the key to ensuring that only suitable people are ultimately able to adopt. There is a range of qualities a single person or a couple need to demonstrate before they can be approved as adoptive parents.
	Where an adoption agency has decided that adoption of a child by a particular person or couple would be in that child's best interests, social services are required to monitor the placement and ongoing support is available until an adoption order is made. Ultimately, the court will decide whether or not to make the adoption order.

Beta Blockers

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety is taking  (a) to inform users of beta blockers of the proposed gradual withdrawal of this drug without causing distress or anxiety and  (b) to ensure that general practitioners withdraw beta-blockers gradually from patients with high blood pressure.

Paul Goggins: The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) recently produced clinical guidelines on the management of high blood pressure in adults; this includes new guidance relating to the use of beta-adrenoceptor blockers. Beta blockers are also used for a number of other clinical conditions. Beta blockers are not being withdrawn and remain a licensed medicine for use in Northern Ireland.
	I recently announced the establishment of a formal link between NICE and the Department of Health Social Services and Public Safety, and wall shortly confirm the arrangements for determination of the applicability of NICE guidelines to the HPSS in Northern Ireland. The Department will give specific consideration to the communication of information contained in this particular guidance

Beta Blockers

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what estimate he has made of the potential effects on costs arising from the transfer of patients from using beta blockers to other drugs available for high blood pressure; and how long the transfer will take to implement.

Paul Goggins: Information is not available for the clinical condition of blood pressure. It is anticipated that pharmacological costs may rise due to the transfer of patients from beta-adrenoceptor blocking drugs to ACE inhibitors. Cost impact assessments made by NICE indicate however that full implementation of the NICE guideline achieved over a number of years might produce some savings as a result of reduced numbers of strokes and ischaemic heart disease. No estimate has been made of possible corresponding savings that might occur in Northern Ireland.
	The timescale for implementation of this change is dependant upon the needs of individual patients. It is particularly important that patients do not stop using their medication without seeking professional advice.

Beta Blockers

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people have experienced  (a) side effects and  (b) life-threatening side effects as a direct result of being prescribed beta blockers for high blood pressure in each of the last five years, broken down by board area.

Paul Goggins: As beta-adrenoceptor drugs can be prescribed for a number of conditions it is not possible to tell from existing information if a person was prescribed beta blockers for high blood pressure. As with other medicines, there are a number of known side effects with beta blockers. All serious adverse drug reactions suspected to be related to any medicine, or combination of medicines, should be reported directly to the Medicines and Healthcare Regulatory Agency.
	The Department has no data on admission to hospital as a direct result of side effects/life threatening side effects as a result of the providing of beta blockers for high blood pressure.

Departmental Expenditure

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, pursuant to the answer of 17 May 2006,  Official Report, column 1009W, on departmental expenditure, what accounted for the increases in expenditure by  (a) employment and learning,  (b) health, social services and public safety and  (c) the Northern Ireland Office on advertising between 2003-04 and 2004-05; and if he will take steps to reduce the amount spent on advertising.

David Hanson: Further to my answer of 17 May 2006,  Official Report, column 1009W, I have informed the hon. Member in writing that figures provided for four Departments in 2004-05 were incorrect. This answer is based on the corrected figures given on 4 July 2006.
	The increase in expenditure by  (a) employment and learning is accounted for by the Essential Skills Campaign to address the problems of literacy and numeracy. The corrected figures show that spending by  (b) health, social services and public safety decreased during the period. The increase in expenditure by  (c) the Northern Ireland Office was due to the recruitment advertising of NIO posts locally and nationally. The corrected figures also show that expenditure by environment increased during the period. This is due to additional funding for newly launched road safety campaigns in respect of motorbikes, speeding and drugs and to increase airtime for the anti-drink driving campaign at certain times of the year such as Christmas and bank holidays.
	Steps have already been taken to reduce the amount spent on advertising. A fundamental review of how Government procures and manages advertising has been completed. The review report, published in April 2006 and available in the House of Commons Library, sets out a series of recommendations which will contribute to an overall reduction in the amount spent on advertising and an increase in effectiveness.

Fertility Treatment

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many women over the age of 55 years are undergoing IVF treatment on the NHS in Northern Ireland; and if he will estimate the average cost of each programme of treatment.

Paul Goggins: There are no women over the age of 55 years undergoing IVF treatment on the NHS in Northern Ireland. In-Vitro Fertilisation (IVF) is only available to couples where the female partner has not passed her 38(th) birthday.
	The Royal Group of Hospitals estimate the current cost for a cycle of IVF treatment to be £2, 875. This includes the cost of outpatient attendances, drugs, scans and consultant time.

Housing

Mark Durkan: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what recent assessment he has made of  (a) house prices and  (b) trends in social housing stock in Northern Ireland; and what steps he is taking to assist first-time buyers in Northern Ireland.

David Hanson: The Department for Social Development publishes information on houses prices and trends in social housing in its Northern Ireland Housing Statistics report. The following figures from the 2004-05 report set out the relevant information:
	
		
			  Table 1: Estimated median house price and percentage increase by purchasing group, October to December 2003 to October to December 2005( 1) 
			  Purchasing group  Period October to December  Estimated median house price (£)  Percentage increase 
			 First Time Buyers 2003 66,666.67 38.1 
			  2005 92,076.40  
			 
			 Home Movers 2003 94,366.20 37.9 
			  2005 130,136.99  
			 (1) Estimate derived from data provided to DSD, Statistics and Research Branch by the Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML). 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 2: Trends in social housing stock 2002-05 
			  Thousand 
			   NIHE stock  Housing Associations stock  Total stock 
			 2002 113.4 19.7 133.1 
			 2003 105.8 20.5 126.3 
			 2004 94.6 21.0 115.6 
			 2005 96.6 (1)21.3 (1)117.9 
			 (1) The figure for 2005 is currently provisional. 
		
	
	The Northern Ireland Housing Executive also annually publishes a report on the Northern Ireland Housing Market—"Review and Perspectives". The report covering the period 2006-09 which provides a range of housing statistics and analysis was published in February 2006. A copy is available on its website at www.nihe.gov.uk and can be found under the Publications/Reports/ Housing Market Reviews. I will arrange to have a copy placed in the Library.
	The review indicates that since 1979 the Housing Executive has sold more than 110,000 dwellings to sitting tenants accounting for almost a quarter (24 per cent.) of the owner occupied sector and 16 per cent. of the housing market as a whole. The 2001 House Condition Survey provided the first reliable estimate of what proportion of these had been resold on the open market. In March 2001, some 94,000 dwellings had been sold and approximately 18,000 (19 per cent.) of these had been resold on the open market: two thirds to new owner occupiers and the remaining one-third to private landlords, reflecting the fact that they generally provide a good source of high quality affordable homes, particularly for first time buyers and landlords who see them as a sound investment. Between 2000 and 2004 the annual house sales figure remained at over 5,000 but in 2004-05 the number of dwellings sold fell by 24 per cent. to 3,135. The reduction reflected the introduction of major revisions to the House Sales Scheme and it is envisaged that house sales will remain at between 2,500 and 3,000 over the next three year period. Annual research carried out by the University of Ulster in relation to sold Housing Executive dwellings confirms that they continue to perform well on the open market.
	The co-ownership shared equity scheme remains the Department's main measure for providing assistance to first time buyers experiencing affordability problems. The scheme has been very successful assisting over 19,000 households since 1978. In recognition of this success, Government increased their funding by £23 million over the 3 year period to 2008 to provide almost £39 million and this will help support around 2,400 applicants over this period. A series of changes to the scheme have also just been introduced to make it more accessible for people on lower incomes: the basis of calculation of the co-ownership rental charge will reduce from 3.5 per cent. to 2.75 per cent. As a result a typical co-ownership home buyer with a £100,000 property on a 50:50 basis will see their monthly rental reduce from £160 to £126. The professional fees associated with buying a home through co-ownership are also being reduced from £400 to £250.
	Given the sharp increase in house prices, the value limits that apply to properties eligible for purchase through co-ownership have been reviewed. The limit for the greater Belfast and Derry city council areas has increased from £115,000 to £135,000 and from £102,500 to £115,000 elsewhere.
	The Department has also been examining recent initiatives which were introduced to address affordability in rest of the UK. The Chancellor, in his last budget, announced an increase in the stamp duty threshold to £125,000, and this will specifically assist first time buyers.

Jobcentres

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many jobcentres are operating in  (a) non-rural and  (b) rural areas of Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement.

Maria Eagle: The Department helps employers fill their vacancies and assists jobseekers to find employment through a network of 35 offices (25 Jobs and Benefits offices, JBOs where a joint work-focused service is provided with the Social Security Agency and 10 jobcentres) located in towns and cities throughout Northern Ireland.
	There are eight offices serving the city of Belfast, two in Londonderry, and one each in the cities of Armagh, Lisburn and Newry. The remaining 22 offices are located in each of the main rural towns of Northern Ireland.
	In order to deliver the Government's policy on welfare to work the Department is working in partnership with the Social Security Agency to provide a joined up work focused jobs and benefits service. 25 of the planned 35 offices have been rolled out as J and BO's and it is expected that rollout of the remaining 10. Namely Andersonstown, Ballymena, Ballynahinch, Bangor, North Belfast, Cookstown, Downpatrick, Newcastle, Newtownards and Strabane will be complete by March 2008.

Rape Crisis Centre

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will take steps to ensure the continued operation of the Rape Crisis Centre in Belfast; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Goggins: Government are committed to funding high quality services which provide the best possible support for victims of rape and sexual violence in Northern Ireland.
	The Department of Health Social Services and Public Safety has previously highlighted to the Rape Crisis and Sexual Abuse Centre (NI) Ltd concerns regarding the failure of the organisation to comply with the terms and conditions of grant funding. These concerns included the keeping of proper records, sound financial accountability and proper corporate governance arrangements.
	The latest financial verification report indicates a continuing failure to address the long standing issues raised and the Department has now advised the organisation that it is mindful to cease funding and invited any comments it wishes to make on this matter within 14 days.
	The decision to cease funding for any organisation which provides a service to vulnerable people is never taken lightly. However, in view of the continued failure of this organisation to meet Government accounting requirements, the Department has been left with no other option but to cease funding.
	The funding that would have been directed to the Rape Crisis Centre will be allocated to other support services for victims of rape and sexual violence.

Students

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many full-time students resident in the Irish Republic attended  (a) further and  (b) higher education colleges in Northern Ireland in 2005; at what total cost to the education budget in that year; and what proportion of this cost was paid by the government of the Irish Republic.

Maria Eagle: The number of full-time students resident in the Irish Republic attending further education colleges in Northern Ireland in the 2004-05 academic year was 1,010. The cost of this to the further education budget in that year was in the region of £3.5 million. No element of the cost of the further education budget was paid by the government of the Irish Republic.
	The number of full-time students resident in the Irish Republic attending higher education colleges in Northern Ireland in the 2004-05 academic year was 2,249. The approximate cost of this to the higher education budget in that year was £7.8 million. No element of this cost was paid by the government of the Irish Republic.

Suicide

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what provision he has made to assist families affected by suicides within the  (a) East Belfast,  (b) North Down and  (c) Ards/Castlereagh area of Strangford; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Goggins: The Ulster Community and Hospitals Health and Social Services Trust provides a range of mental health intervention and strategies to support the families of suicide victims, including counselling for bereavement in conjunction with specialised agencies such as CRUSE.
	Since February 2004, the Trust has been operating a Crisis Response and Home Treatment Team, which is available 365 days per year to provide an appropriate response to individuals who have attempted self-harm or are suicidal.
	In addition to this service, members of this team asses any patient who presents to the A&E department of the Ulster Hospital, Dundonald, suffering from mental health problems. Furthermore, the Trust has recently trained three staff in Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training and arrangements are presently being made for suicide awareness sessions in local sports and community clubs.
	South and East Belfast Trust offer the primary care route of referral for assessment of mental health and will offer bereavement counselling through Community Psychiatric Nursing and Social Work services. They can also offer to support families in a crisis through involvement with their Crisis Response and Home Treatment Team. South and East Belfast Trust also signpost individuals and families to voluntary organisations such as CRUSE who offer straightforward bereavement counselling.
	Regionally, a Families Forum is to be established. This forum will nominate representatives to sit on the forthcoming Suicide Strategy Implementation Body and will allow those bereaved by suicide to have a major say in the implementation of the Strategy.

Wind Turbines (Hospitals)

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland pursuant to his answer of 26 June 2006,  Official Report, column 216W, on wind turbines (acute hospitals), whether other acute hospitals have expressed an interest in having a wind turbine constructed at their sites in the next 12 months.

Paul Goggins: Causeway Hospital, Coleraine has expressed an interest in developing a wind turbine installation on the site within the next 12 months.

Benefit Claimants

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps his Department has taken to tackle the perceived stigma of claiming benefits by people in rural areas; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Murphy: The Commission for Rural Communities (CRC) is currently undertaking its annual monitoring of the rural proofing of Government policy. The CRC has appointed a team of consultants who will be interviewing officials from each Government Department on selected subjects. One subject selected for the DWP is the payment of benefits. The interviews are expected to take place this month.
	The Department also produces an internal annual Rural Proofing Report for the Countryside Agency; this includes examples of how the Department has addressed service delivery issues in rural areas. A copy of the Countryside Agency's Rural Proofing Report for 2004-05 is available in the Library.
	A fundamental element of our plans for the future is the need to transform the way customers access and use the services of Jobcentre Plus so we can release resources to focus on customers who need more help. Customers are no longer required to attend our offices to make claims to benefits, undertake jobsearch activities or to enquire about their benefit payments. As we transform our services, other more efficient channels are now available to our customers, such as Jobseeker Direct, Interactive TV, or the Jobcentre Plus website and these new options will greatly assist our customers living in rural areas.

Job Vacancies (Hartlepool)

Iain Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many job vacancies were listed at Jobcentre Plus in Hartlepool constituency in each year since 1997.

Jim Murphy: pursuant to the reply, 26 June 2006,  Official Report, c.54W
	Information on Jobcentre Plus vacancy data at parliamentary constituency level is only available from April 2004 and is set out in the following table.
	
		
			  Hartlepool Parliamentary Constituency 
			  Period  Vacancies notified to Jobcentre Plus  Average number of 'live' unfilled vacancies on any given day 
			 2004 (from April) 5,040 1,150 
			 2005 5,080 1,120 
			  Source: Jobcentre Plus Labour Market System

Overseas Pensioners

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what his estimate is of the amount spent by his Department, including the costs spent on administration, responding to requests from pensioners who live abroad and have their pensions frozen in each year since 2001-02; and if he will make a statement.

James Purnell: Information that is available is in the following tables. We are unable to provide costs prior to 2004-05.
	
		
			  Costs for 2004005 and 2005-06 
			  £million 
			   2004-05  2005-2006  Total 
			 Frozen state pension paid to pensioners living abroad 870.58 900.17 1770.75 
			 Direct costs to administer frozen state pensions for pensioners who live abroad. 3.6 3.8 7.4 
			 Total 874. 18 903.97 1778.15 
		
	
	
		
			  Costs For The First Three Months Of The Financial Year 2006-07 
			  £million 
			   2006-07 
			 Frozen state pension paid to pensioners living abroad 232.69 
			 Direct costs to administer frozen state pensions for pensioners who live abroad. 1.0 
			 Total 233.69

State Pension/Pension Credit

Alex Salmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people are in receipt of  (a) state pension and  (b) pension credits in each nation and region of the UK; and what total spending was on each benefit in the latest period for which figures are available.

James Purnell: Information that is available relating to the state pension caseload and number of individual beneficiaries of pension credit in Great Britain on 31 November 2005 is in the following table. Information relating to Northern Ireland is the responsibility for my hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland.
	
		
			  Government office region  State pension caseload  Pension credit—individual beneficiaries 
			 North East 481,080 193,790 
			 North West 1,252,520 432,360 
			 Yorkshire and the Humber 926,680 321,090 
			 East Midlands 799,720 241,310 
			 West Midlands 990,990 345,030 
			 East of England 1,052,410 274,090 
			 London 950,070 344,550 
			 South East 1,520,840 336,510 
			 South West 1,073,570 273,700 
			 Wales 588,310 197,990 
			 Scotland 942,970 337,800 
			  Source: DWP Work and Pensions Longitudinal Study 
		
	
	The total estimated spending on state pensions and pension credit in 2005-06 is in the following table.
	
		
			   £ million, nominal terms, estimated outturn 
			 Basic state pension 43,029 
			 Additional state pension 8,243 
			 Non-contributory state pension 31 
			 Total state pension expenditure 51,303 
			 Pension credit - guarantee credit 5,402 
			 Pension credit - savings credit 1,019 
			 Total pension credit expenditure 6,420 
			  Notes:  1. Caseload figures are rounded to the nearest 10 and some additional disclosure control has been applied.  2. Expenditure figures are rounded to the nearest million pounds.  3. Totals may not sum due to rounding.  4. The number of individual beneficiaries includes both claimants and their partners.   Source:  DWP Expenditure tables

State Pension/Pension Credit

Alex Salmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of total spending on the  (a) basic state pension and  (b) pension credit in each (i) country and (ii) region of the UK in (A) 2024, (B) 2034 and (C) 2044 (1) under the current arrangements and (2) under the Government's proposed pension reforms.

James Purnell: The information is not available in the format requested. Tables 1 and 2 show the total expenditure on basic state pension and pension credit respectively for the UK.
	Under our reforms, more people will be getting state pensions based on their national insurance records, and there will be a more generous basic state pension due to the restoration of the earnings link. This provides a solid foundation for private saving. Incentives are further enhanced by reducing the growth of the savings credit.
	Increase in the basic state pension leads to higher incomes for pensioners and as a consequence reduces the spending on pension credit. The reduction in pension credit as a result of the overall reform package can be seen in table 2. Column 2 of the table shows the level of spending without the white paper reforms while column 3 shows spending after reforms.
	Table 1 shows total expenditure under current basic state pension policies, and under the proposed reforms.
	
		
			  Table 1: Expenditure on basic state pension 
			  £ billion, 2006-07 prices 
			   Without reform  With reform 
			 2024 62.5 77.5 
			 2034 75.9 109.7 
			 2044 81.0 137.7 
		
	
	Table 2 shows total expenditure under different pension credit policies, all of which assume the stated policy of uprating the standard guarantee with earnings until 2008: the current system projected forward with the standard guarantee uprated by prices after 2008; the same scenario but with the standard guarantee uprated with earnings after 2008; and the projected outcomes under the White Paper reforms.
	
		
			  Table 2: Expenditure on pension credit 
			  £ billion, 2006-07 prices 
			   Without reform, standard guarantee price-linked from 2008  Without reform, standard guarantee earnings-linked from 2008  With reform 
			 2024 1.9 13.0 5.9 
			 2034 1.1 21.2 3.8 
			 2044 0.9 36.1 4.6 
			  Notes:  1. Costs or savings presented in the table are based on long-term projections of United Kingdom benefit expenditure consistent with the Budget report 2006, and estimated expenditure effects of the proposed reforms.  2. Table 2 estimates of expenditure are dependent on projections of numbers receiving pension credit in the future. These projections are subject to a range of uncertainties and a number of factors including policies on uprating different benefits and assumptions on rates of take-up. The assumptions applied here are consistent with those that underpin published long-run expenditure projections.  3. Table 1 includes, in the 'With reform' column, earnings uprating the basic state pension, improving coverage, and the effects of state pension age increases.  4. Table 2 includes, in the 'With reform' column, continued earnings uprating of the standard guarantee; the savings credit maximum is uprated by earnings from 2008 and then by prices from 2015; earnings uprating of the basic state pension from 2012; measures to improve coverage of the basic state pension and reforms to the state second pension described in the White Paper.  5. Figures exclude the effect of personal accounts.  6. Figures include the effects on expenditure on the basic state pension and on pension credit arising from increases in the state pension age as set out in the White Paper.

Brazil

Roger Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions she had with the Brazilian Government regarding  (a) human and animal health,  (b) human rights and  (c) environmental issues relating to Brazilian beef imports during her recent official visit.

Geoff Hoon: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary did not discuss these issues in detail during her recent visit to Brazil. However, we regularly raise such matters with the Government of Brazil, bilaterally and with our European partners.
	Recently, at the Human Rights Council, my right hon. Friend the Minister of State for Trade, Investment and Foreign Affairs discussed with Paulo Vannuchi, Brazilian State Secretary for Human Rights, ways in which our countries could deepen co-operation. In April, on his visit to Brazil, my noble Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, Lord Triesman of Tottenham, also raised human rights with Paulo Vannuchi and agreed that the protection of human rights defenders was one of the key areas in which Brazil and the UK could co-operate.
	Animal health is an issue taken seriously by the UK and the EU. In August last year, the European Commission's Food and Veterinary Office sent an inspection mission to Brazil. The findings were discussed in the Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health in Brussels and the committee was satisfied that no additional restrictions on imports were justified at that stage.
	The UK has initiated a high-level dialogue on sustainable development with the Brazilian Government to promote action on sustainable development challenges—including deforestation, whether it is caused by soya production or cattle farming. The Government actively supports efforts in Brazil to promote agricultural practices that reduce environmental impact and levels of deforestation. For example, the UK, through the Foreign and Commonwealth Office's Global Opportunities Fund, is supporting an Amazon Deforestation Soya Certification Project which aims to combat deforestation by developing and implementing independent certification scheme for "forest-friendly" soya.

Colombia

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment she has made of proposals for demobilisation of paramilitaries and guerrillas in Colombia.

Geoff Hoon: The EU General Affairs and External Relations Council Conclusions of October 2005 made it clear that we and other EU member states consider that the effective and transparent implementation of the Law on Justice and Peace will have a positive impact on peace-building in Colombia.
	On 18 April, the Government announced the completion under this law of the formal process of paramilitary demobilisation which saw over 30,000 paramilitaries demobilise. The challenge now for the Government of Colombia is to reintegrate the ex-combatants successfully into society, while addressing the rights of the victims of the internal armed conflict to truth, justice and reparation.
	The Colombian Government is also actively involved in talks with the National Liberation Army, a left-wing guerrilla group. The latest round of talks took place in Cuba in April. The Colombia Government's recent efforts to begin preliminary talks with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, the country's biggest illegal guerrilla group, have been consistently rejected by the guerrillas. We continue to monitor the situation.

Conscription (Children)

Si�n James: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent estimate she has made of the number of children conscripted into armies in  (a) Sierra Leone,  (b) the Philippines,  (c) Colombia,  (d) Burundi,  (e) Democratic Republic of Congo,  (f) Liberia,  (g) Somalia,  (h) Afghanistan,  (i) Burma and  (j) Uganda; what recent representations she has made on the conscription of children into the army of each country; and if she will make a statement.

Margaret Beckett: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has made no estimate of the number of children recruited by armed forces and armed groups in these countries. A number of studies exist in this area, including some by non-governmental organisations, as well as statistics on the numbers of children involved in disarmament, demobilisation and reintegration programmes. The picture of the numbers affected is complicated by the many ways in which children can be affected by conflict, for example as porters, messengers, spies or cooks, as well as active combatants. One helpful source in this area is the Child Soldiers Global Report 2004, produced by the Coalition to Stop the Use of Child Soldiers which provides estimates for the countries listed. This document is accessible most easily at the following website:
	http://www.child-soldiers.org/resources/global-reports
	Ministers and officials have made representations on this issue. For example, my right hon. Friend the Minister of State for Trade, Investment and Foreign Affairs has raised our concerns on a number of issues in Burma including the recruitment of child soldiers with the Burmese ambassador in London, and in writing to the Burmese Foreign Minister. During 2005, officials were active in a series of EU dmarches in countries where the use of child soldiers is a particular problem. Dmarches were conducted in Burundi, Colombia, Cte d'lvoire, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Liberia, Nepal, Sudan and Uganda. The UK has also sought to ensure that disarmament, demobilisation and reintegration programmes are sustainable and make appropriate provision for the particular needs of children. This has included specific assistance in a number of the countries listed, for example the Ministry of Defence's assistance in reforming recruiting practices in the Sierra Leone army.

Departmental Emissions

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent estimate she has made of the carbon emissions of her Department; what commitment she has made to reducing such emissions; and if she will make a statement.

Geoff Hoon: In 2004-05 the Foreign and Commonwealth Office's (FCO) carbon emissions from energy on the UK estate totalled 3,374 tonnes. We are committed to reducing our emissions and are taking the following actions:
	we are in the process of implementing the Carbon Trust's Carbon Management Programme to help us identify opportunities to reduce our use of energy;
	we are upgrading the energy control systems at Hanslope Park, our rural site in Buckinghamshire, and in our Main Building. We have commenced a programme of replacing inefficient light fittings across the estate;
	we monitor our performance against targets for energy reduction, among other environmental issues, through an externally certified Environmental Management System, in line with the Framework for Sustainable Development on the Government estate;
	we apply the Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method (BREEAM), which includes forecast energy consumption, to new builds and major refurbishments;
	we actively encourage staff and contractors to follow good practice in using energy efficiently and effectively through, for example, an Energy and Recycling Campaign in February 2006;
	we are installing software on the next generation of the FCO's global IT network, due to start roll out early in 2007, to power down workstations automatically out of hours.
	In addition, the FCO is offsetting the carbon dioxide and other emissions generated by the air travel of Ministers and officials based in the UK starting with our 2004 emissionsone year ahead of the requirement of Government Departments to offset air travel by April 2006. We encourage our posts to apply good environmental management and are running a pilot project on environmental management at nine posts to determine how best we might introduce the principles of formal environmental management to our wider network.

Departmental Publications

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if she will list the Unnumbered Command Papers produced by her Department in each Session since 1976; by what means  (a) hon. Members and  (b) members of the public can (i) inspect and (ii) obtain copies; and if she will make a statement.

Geoff Hoon: A list of Foreign and Commonwealth Office Unnumbered Command Papers since 1992 can be obtained from the Library of the House and I will arrange for a copy of the list to be sent the hon. Member. Previous years could be listed only at disproportionate cost.
	Copies of unnumbered Command Papers from the 2001 and 2005 Parliaments are available to hon. Members via the Library of the House for and to members of the public via the Public Record Office.

Dr. Laurence Jones

Alistair Burt: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if she will take urgent steps to enable Dr. Laurence Jones to return to the UK from Australia; for what reason his retrieved passport could not be temporarily validated for travel back to the UK; for what reason his replacement passport was not issued within the initial 20 day period; and for what reason it was not issued within the subsequent two week period of which notice was given by her Department.

Kim Howells: holding answer 18 July 2006
	We regret the inconvenience caused to Dr. Jones and apologise for the delay to the issue of his passport, which was caused by an unfortunate administrative error. The passport was despatched to him by courier on 17 July from our high commission in Canberra. It is expected to be delivered to him in Darwin on 19 or 20 July. The passport section in our high commission in Canberra has advised Dr. Jones of this development directly. He has also been informed that we will reimburse all telephone expenses incurred by him with regard to his application.

Human Cloning

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer of 10 July 2006,  Official Report, columns 1519-20W, on human cloning, if she will place in the Library copies of the instructions sent to the UK delegation; if she will list the  (a) Departments,  (b) organisations and  (c) individuals (i) she consulted and who (ii) made representations to her Department; if she will place in the Library copies of any representations received; and if she will make a statement.

Ian McCartney: As I explained in my answer to the hon. Member on 10 July 2006,  Official Report, columns 1519-20W, the instructions sent to the UK delegation covered a range of options for possible votes on different draft resolutions or motions. Publication of instructions to Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) posts could be damaging to our international relations. It would not therefore be appropriate to place a copy in the Library of the House. The FCO consulted the Department of Health, which takes the lead on the issue, the Office of Science and Technology, as it then was, the Department of Trade and Industry, the Medical Research Council, the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council and the Royal Society. We lobbied other governments in capitals and in New York and received a range of views in response. These discussions were held in confidence. We do not have copies of oral representations received from others. The chief executive of the British Bioindustry Association wrote to my right hon. Friend the then Foreign Secretary (Mr. Straw) on 12 October 2004, strongly supporting the UK position. Copies of this letter and my right hon. Friend's reply will be placed in the Library of the House.
	The Government's views were set out in New York on several occasions, including in statements by the UK Permanent Representative to the UN General Assembly in October 2004 and March 2005. Copies of these statements will also been placed in the Library of the House. I will also send the hon. Member copies of the letters and statements to be placed in the Library of the House.

Israel (F16 Military Aircraft)

Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what investigations  (a) she and  (b) her officials have undertaken into the use of F16 Israeli military aircraft during airstrikes into (i) Gaza since the start of May 2006 and (ii) Lebanon since 12 July 2006; and what the results of those investigations have been.

Kim Howells: Our embassy in Tel Aviv is monitoring the situation closely. It has confirmed reports that Israel is using F16's in its incursions into Gaza and Lebanon.

North Korea

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent assessment she has made of the potential for proliferation of  (a) nuclear weapons material and technology and  (b) missile technology from North Korea to state or non-state actors.

Margaret Beckett: North Korea's willingness to supply to others ballistic missile systems and technology is well established. Given the complexity of ballistic missiles and the necessary support systems we believe it is extremely unlikely any non-state actor would seek to procure them.
	While North Korea might be willing in principle to supply nuclear weapons material and technology to others, we do not currently assess this to be a significant risk. We and our allies, however, are monitoring continuously for any indication North Korea might be considering such a transfer.

UN Conference on Small Arms

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment she has made of why it was not possible to get an agreement on stricter controls at the UN Conference on Small Arms; what opportunities there are for revisiting this issue; and if she will make a statement.

Kim Howells: It was very disappointing that the UN Small Arms Review Conference failed to agree an outcome document, particularly as the UK had succeeded in agreeing a consensus text on the need for work at the national, regional and global levels to strengthen transfer controls. Fortunately, as the achievement of a consensus text indicates, all countries now recognise the need to address the issue of transfer controls within the UN Programme of Action. Over 100 states at the Review Conference expressed support for strengthening transfer controls. The UK will continue to work with all states to build support for agreement on common guidelines for small arms and light weapons transfers, building on the progress made at regional level in the past three years under the UK's Transfer Controls Initiative. The UK is also keen to work with Canada on their proposal for an informal meeting of states in 2007 focused on transfer controls.

BL755 Cluster Munition

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  what assessment he has made of  (a) the failure rate of the BL755 cluster munition and  (b) its reliability for use in combat situations;
	(2)  by what method his Department assesses BL755 failure rates; and if he will make a statement;
	(3)  whether the classified reports which support the Department's assessment of the failure rate for the BL755 cluster munition contain evidence derived from combat use;
	(4)  whether an assessment has been made of the failure rate for the BL755 cluster munition based solely on evidence from combat use.

Adam Ingram: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 17 March 2006,  Official Report, column 2515W, to my hon. Friend for Stroud (Mr. Drew).
	Information on the failure rate of the BL755 cluster bomb used by the RAF is collected during regular in-service surveillance trials. These trials are carried out by the Design Organisation (Lockheed Martin UK Insys Ltd) on behalf of the Ministry of Defence.
	The results of these trials are used to confirm the reliability of the BL755 cluster bomb for operational use. Some analysis of the accuracy and performance of BL755 cluster bombs used during operations has been undertaken; however, the reliability of individual weapons was not specifically addressed as part of this analysis.

Efficiency Savings

Gerald Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how the  (a) Royal Navy,  (b) Royal Air Force,  (c) Army and  (d) Defence Procurement Agency will meet the 2.5 per cent. reductions as part of the Ministry of Defence's 2.5 per cent. departmental efficiency savings.

Des Browne: The Ministry of Defence's 2.5 per cent. efficiency savings target equates to a total of 2.8 billion of annual efficiency gains across the department by the end of the three year Spending Review 2004 period. A breakdown of how the MOD intends to achieve this target can be found in the MOD efficiency technical note, which is published on the Department's website at www.mod.uk.

Helicopters

Michael Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many  (a) medium and  (b) heavy lift helicopters are in service with the (i) Royal Air Force and (ii) Army, broken down by make.

Adam Ingram: holding answer 17 July 2006
	The numbers of medium and heavy lift helicopters, in service in the Forward Fleet as at May 2006, broken down by type, are:
	
		
			  Medium Lift 
			  Type  Number in service 
			 Puma HC1 26 
			 Sea King Mk 3/3a 17 
			 Merlin Mk 3 14 
		
	
	
		
			  Heavy Lift 
			  Type  Number in service 
			 Chinook Mk2/2a 28 
		
	
	All medium and heavy lift helicopters in service in the Forward Fleet are owned by the Joint Helicopter Command. There are no medium and heavy lift helicopters operated by the Army. In addition to the figures shown in the table, the Royal Navy operate 30 Sea King Mk 4 medium lift helicopters.

Iraq

Nigel Waterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on which occasions Ministers in his Department have  (a) met the bereaved families of British soldiers killed in Iraq and  (b) visited in hospital British soldiers wounded in Iraq.

Des Browne: Defence Ministers frequently visit members of the armed forces injured in Iraq. Since February Defence Ministers have visited injured personnel on the following occasions:
	 Secretary of State:
	Visited the Field Hospital at Shaibah Logistics Base in Iraq on 17 May 2005
	Visited the Field Hospital at Shaibah Logistics Base in Iraq on 2 December 2005
	Visited Headley Court and Royal College of Defence Medicine at Selly Oak on 20 January 2006
	Visited the Field Hospital at Shaibah Logistics Base in Iraq on 18 March 2006
	Visited the Field Hospital at Shaibah Logistics Base in Iraq on 18 May 2006
	 Minister for the Armed Forces:
	Visited the Field Hospital at Shaibah Logistics Base in Iraq on 6-9 March 2005
	Visited Royal College of Defence Medicine at Selly Oak on 14 June 2005
	Visited 7th Armoured Brigade in Germany on 8-9 May 2006
	Visited Headley Court on 10 July 2006
	 Minister for Defence Procurement:
	Visited the Field Hospital at Shaibah Logistics Base in Iraq on 7 July 2005
	Visited Royal College of Defence Medicine at Selly Oak on 18 November 2005
	 Under Secretary of State:
	Visited Royal College of Defence Medicine at Selly Oak on 21 February 2005
	Visited Royal College of Defence Medicine at Selly Oak on 8 September 2005
	Visited Royal College of Defence Medicine at Selly Oak on 16 June 2006
	For details of visits prior to those above I refer the hon. Member to an answer given by my predecessor, the then Secretary of State for Defence, on 2 February 2005,  Official Report, column 899W, to the hon. Member for Perth and North Perthshire (Pete Wishart).
	Relatives of personnel killed in Iraq have also met the Defence Secretary at a repatriation ceremony at RAF Lyneham on 8 February 2005 and at a Remembrance Service at Salisbury Cathedral on 20 May 2005. The Minister for the Armed Forces attended a repatriation ceremony on 18 May 2006 at RAF Brize Norton.
	In addition to the specific visits identified above, Ministers have on numerous occasions visited personnel in Iraq and in the UK once they have returned from operational duty. On some of these occasions Ministers will have met with injured personnel and their families. As it was not the main focus of these visits, the exact details have not been recorded.

Armoured Vehicles

Owen Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  if he will reconsider the purchase of the armoured Pinzgauer vehicles on order for troops in Afghanistan;
	(2)  what the performance specifications are of the new patrol vehicle Vector; what type of vehicle it is; and how its armour protection compares with the  (a) Snatch Land Rover and  (b) TG-31;
	(3)  what assessment he has made of the level of protection afforded to troops by the  (a) RG-31 vehicle and  (b) Snatch Land Rover.

Des Browne: Vector is the name of the programme to buy a new, Pinzgauer based, protected patrol vehicle to supplement the current Land Rover Snatch vehicle. The programme is on contract for delivery of vehicles in 2007. The key performance requirements for Vector are improved mobility, payload and capacity compared to Snatch. We do not comment on levels of armour protection, as disclosure would, or would be likely to, prejudice the security of our armed forces.

Nuclear Test Veterans

Francis Maude: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent discussions he has had with representatives from  (a) the USA,  (b) Canada,  (c) Australia and  (d) New Zealand on nuclear test veterans and sharing of best practice.

Tom Watson: I have had no discussions with these countries on Nuclear Test Veterans and sharing of best practice. MOD officials maintain contact with these countries on a wide range of veterans' issues, mainly under auspices of the Senior International Forum. We are of course aware of the recent Australian and New Zealand Reports on the health of Nuclear Test Veterans. We are studying these carefully and have been in touch with officials from both countries with respect to their findings.

Veterans

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the possible barriers that veterans face when attempting to access  (a) housing and  (b) employment on leaving the armed forces.

Tom Watson: We are working closely with the Department for Committees and Local Government to enable service personnel to qualify under the local connection provisions of the Housing Act 1996, in order to overcome the barriers common to both servicemen and their civilian counterparts in access to affordable or social housing. The Joint Service Housing Advice Office offers advice and information about mortgages and affordable home ownership solutions including shared equity schemes. For those single personnel in danger of homelessness, it can facilitate access to temporary accommodation.
	The success of Service leavers who use the career transition partnership as part of their resettlement preparation in securing employment after dischargeover 50 per cent. within one month of discharge, rising to over 95 per cent. six-months after departuresuggests that there are few barriers to employment of most service personnel. Coaching provided by the Partnership often gives service leavers a competitive edge over other candidates and many of the personal attributes inherent in service culture are highly prized by civilian employers.
	The Career Transition Partnership has an effective marketing arm that carefully targets prospective employers who can offer quality jobs to service leavers. Its marketing strategy includes dispelling negative misconceptions about service personnel and their ability to adapt to the civilian workplace. Employers who engage service leavers are seldom disappointed and tend to seek more when vacancies arise.
	Individuals who depart under early service leaver arrangements may face more of a challenge. Those that discharge from recruit and basic professional training establishments before completing courses of instruction are unlikely to have gained the transferable competencies and professional qualifications of those service personnel who have entered productive military service. They therefore are more likely to have to contend with the same barriers to employment as confront civilians with a comparable lack of marketable skills. However, on discharge all ex-regular military personnel, regardless of age, have immediate access to the Department of Work and Pensions new deal, which includes occupational and basic skills training.

Alliance Medical

Edward Davey: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make a statement on progress in reviewing the scans carried out by Alliance Medical.

Ivan Lewis: Scan quality is independently audited every six months by the clinical guardian of the contract, Professor Adrian Dixon, national health service sponsors and Alliance Medical Ltd's head of clinical governance. In addition, two audits have been produced by the Royal College of Radiologists in conjunction with the Department. The audits are available at the Royal College of Radiologists website at:
	www.rcr.ac.uk/docs/radiology/pdf/MR_CG_Audit_Apri!2006.pdf
	and at:
	www.rcr.ac.uk/docs/newsroom/pdf/MRI_AUDIT_REPORT_FINAL_17505.pdf
	The second audit, which was published in April 2006, again found that there was little overall difference in the clinical opinion between independent service provider (Alliance Medical Ltd) and the NHS reports and, that there was little overall difference in the technical quality of the magnetic resonance examinations between the two services overall.
	Quality is monitored consistently throughout the contract as an integral part of the clinical governance framework. Any discrepancies or concerns are audited on a case by case basis by the clinical guardian of the contract.

Drug Addiction

Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment she has made of the relative  (a) efficiency and  (b) effectiveness of (i) naltraczone, (ii) Subutex and (iii) methadone in treating drug addiction; whether such drugs are to be made more widely available; and if she will make a statement.

Caroline Flint: The Department recognises the key role that effective pharmacotherapies, including substitute opiate prescribing and medications such as naltrexone to assist relapse prevention, may play in the management of opiate dependence. The Department published its evidence-based Clinical Guidelines, Drug misuse and dependenceguidelines on clinical management, in 1999, on the advice of an independent expert group and in conjunction with relevant professional bodies. The 1999 Clinical Guidelines address the use of methadone, buprenorphine (more recently with a marketing authorisation for use as Subutex) and naltrexone. The guidelines discusses the relative effectiveness of buprenorphine and methadone, but as naltrexone is licensed only for use to support relapse prevention, no direct comparison is feasible with the opiate substitute methadone and buprenorphine. The guidelines do support the use of all these drugs as potentially effective opiate misuse treatments when used appropriately. The Department's clinical guidelines are due to be updated in 2006-07 and this will take into account-planned guidance on the use of all these drugs due to be published in 2007 by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE).
	The Department of Health has asked NICE, within a package of work that they will be undertaking on drug treatment, to carry out a technology appraisal on oral methadone and sublingual buprenorphine as opiate substitute treatments. This appraisal will evaluate the clinical effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of these drugs as substitute opiates for the management of opiate misusers. The Department also asked at the same time for a similar technology appraisal for 'naltrexone as a treatment for relapse prevention' for opiate misuse. This will include appraisal of its clinical effectiveness and cost-effectiveness. Both these technology appraisals are scheduled for publication in March 2007.
	All three of these drugs are currently prescribed for management of opiate dependence. Given that the NHS are obliged to implement guidance produced by NICE, the outcome of their work on drug treatment will be an important support in enhancing the effectiveness of drug treatment and in particular substitute prescribing.

Hospital-acquired Infections

Shailesh Vara: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress has been made in combating the spread of MRSA in hospitals.

Andy Burnham: holding answer 5 July 2006
	Combating meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and other health care associated infections (HCAIs), continues to be a priority for Government. A target, to reduce the number of MRSA bloodstream infections by half by April 2008 is in place and each trust has its own target. The total number of these infections in 2004-05 was 7,212, compared with 7,684 in 2003-04. Figures for 2005-06 will be published later this month.
	All acute trusts have signed up to a Saving Lives package of best practice measures. The Department continues to engage those trusts facing the most significant challenges and it will seek to work with trusts most likely to benefit from support tailored to their organisational needs. Additionally, the Health Act, which received Royal Assent on 19 July, intends through the new code of practice, to give a statutory footing to what is already accepted as best practicethus driving-up standards of hygiene and infection control.

Ministerial Visits

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Health which health service facilities in the geographical area covered by the new strategic health authority for the South West  (a) she and  (b) her Ministers plan to visit; and when.

Ivan Lewis: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Health plans to visit the geographical area covered by the new strategic health authority for the South West on 25 July 2006. She will visit a number of health facilities (yet to be confirmed) in Shepton Mallet, Cirencester and Bath. The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Care Services will also visit the area in September although specific details are yet to be arranged.

NHS Finance

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the outcome was of capital spending against budget for  (a) Avon, Wiltshire and Gloucestershire strategic health authority and  (b) the Cotswold and Vale primary care trust for each of the last five years.

Ivan Lewis: The information requested is shown in the table for the years that the organisations have been in existence, 2004-05 is the latest year for which information is available.
	Underspend against capital resource limits.
	
		
			   thousand 
			   2002-03  2003-04  2004-05 
			  Avon, Wiltshire and Gloucestershire strategic health authority (SNA)
			 Net capital resource outturn 815 174 201 
			 Capital resource limit 943 186 270 
			 Underspend against capital resource limit 128 12 69 
			 
			  Cotswold and Vale primary care trust (PCT)
			 Charge against the capital resource limit 772 909 417 
			 Capital resource limit 788 1,803 1,272 
			 Underspend against capital resource limit 16 894 855 
			  Sources:  1. Audited summarisation forms of the Avon, Wiltshire and Gloucestershire SHA.  2. Audited summarisation schedules of Cotswold and Vale PCT

NHS IT

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment she has made of the efficiency of the roll-out of the NHS IT programme to genito-urinary medicine clinics; what representations she has received on this matter; and what response she has given.

Caroline Flint: National and local systems and services continue to be rolled out across the country in ever-increasing numbers, and every national health service location has already benefited under the national programme from delivery of software, hardware or the broadband connections that enables these to be accessed. We are on track to complete the national programme, as planned, by 2010.
	In parallel with the deployment of national systems, thousands of local systems have now been delivered and serve more than 240,000 users. This includes many acute sector departmental systems supporting clinical specialties, though no systems designed specifically to support genito-urinary medicine (GUM) clinics, or other sexual health services, have yet gone live. We are not aware of any representations specifically on this matter. However, the programme's national 'Do Once and Share' project, under the directorship of Professor Muir Gray, has engaged GUM and other sexual health clinicians, and consulted them on their future IM and T needs. The results are being shared nationally with the support of the IM and T group of the British Association of Sexual Health and HIV.
	We recognise that it is of enormous importance that systems and services delivered through the national programme should guarantee the very particular information security and confidentiality requirements of patients accessing GUM and sexual health services. Stringent security controls and safeguards have been incorporated to prevent unrestricted or uncontrolled access to personal information. Access is controlled via a unique user identity, involving a pass-code and smart card, which can only be obtained on verification of identity and through a formal user registration process.

Overview and Scutiny Committees

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 22 June 2006,  Official Report, column 2106W, on overview and scrutiny committees, why hon. Members cannot be co-opted onto OSCs.

Rosie Winterton: As stated in my previous reply, overview and scrutiny committees (OSCs) have powers set out in the Local Government Act 2000 to co-opt non-voting members onto OSCs. These co-opted members can be:
	a member of a committee of the county council or another local authority, for the purposes of relevant functions of the committee in relation to the county council; or
	a member of a committee of the county council, for the purposes of relevant functions of the committee in relation to another local authority.
	Therefore hon. Members cannot be co-opted onto an OSC.

Parliamentary Questions

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many parliamentary questions tabled to her Department were awaiting a reply on 10 July 2006; which of those had been waiting longer than  (a) two and  (b) three weeks for a reply; and what the reason for the delay was in each case.

Ivan Lewis: The available information is as follows:
	As at 17 July, 13,280 parliamentary questions have been tabled this session on Department of Health matters. 573 were awaiting answer, of which 21 were outstanding for more than two weeks but less than three weeks, and 68 for more than three weeks. We aim to ensure that Members receive a substantive response to their named day question on the named day and endeavour to answer ordinary written questions within a working week of being tabled. Unfortunately, this is not always possible but this Department makes every effort to achieve these time scales.

Pre-CSR Report

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions she has had with  (a) the Treasury and  (b) the Cabinet Office regarding the pre-comprehensive spending review report; and if she will make a statement.

Ivan Lewis: My hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health has had and will continue to have wide ranging and regular discussions with the Chief Secretary about preparations for the 2007 Comprehensive Spending Review, as a matter of key importance to the Departments medium and long-term planning.

Smoking

Janet Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what level of fine will be imposed on individual licensees in England and Wales for not enforcing the smoking ban in their public houses; and what research her Department has undertaken on the level of fines in other jurisdictions.

Caroline Flint: Penalties for offences within chapter one, part one of the Health Bill, smoke-free premises, places and vehicles, will be set out in regulations.
	Through the passage of the Health Bill, Ministers have clearly set-out the Government's intentions for fine levels for offences under smoke-free legislation, and proposes that a person who is found guilty of an offence under clause 8 of the Health Bill (offence of failing to prevent smoking in a smoke-free place) will be liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding level four on the standard scale.
	The levels of penalties for offences under chapter one, part one of the Health Bill were the subject of public consultation in 2005, as part of the Consultation on the Smoke-free Elements of the Health Improvement and Protection Bill published by the Department.
	Proposals for levels of penalties reflect the feedback from this consultation process, as well as advice received from other bodies including the Home Office.
	Proposed penalties for the offence of failing to prevent smoking in a smoke-free place are consistent with those in Scotland's smoke-free legislation, with the exception that a penalty notice for this offence can be issued by an authorised officer of an enforcement authority in Scotland.

Social Care

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent assessment she has made of the uniformity of access to social care in different parts of the country.

Ivan Lewis: The Department has not made any recent assessment of the uniformity of access to social care in different parts of the country. Fair access to care services (FACS) is designed to deliver uniformity of access within council areas, not between councils. Decisions about eligibility to services are made by individual councils in response to local need and according to criteria set out in the FACS guidance Fair Access to Care Services Guidance on Eligibility Criteria for Adult Social Care. The guidance is contained in local authority circular (2002)13 and available on the Department's website at: www.dh.gov.uk/assetRoot/04/01/96/41/04019641.pdf
	A copy has been placed in the Library.

Household Incomes

Vincent Cable: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  what the  (a) median and  (b) mean gross household income was in the last year for which information is available; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what the lower limit of the top decile for gross household earnings was in the last year for which information is available; and if he will make a statement.

John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
	 Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated 19 July 2006:
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent questions asking what the (a) median and (b) mean gross household income was in the latest year available and what the lower limit of the top decile is for gross household earnings for the latest year (85778, 85779).
	These estimates are based on the ONS analyses The effects of taxes and benefits on household income which is published annually. The latest analysis for 2004/05 was published on the National Statistics website on 12th May 2006 at http://www.statistics.gov.uk/taxesbenefits. It is based on the Expenditure and Food Survey, which has a sample covering approximately 7,000 households in the UK. The analysis for 2005/06 is due to be published on the National Statistics website in May 2007.
	Gross incomes include income from employment, self-employment, pensions, investment income, and cash benefits. The median gross household income in 2004/05 was 24,700 per year. The mean household gross income (which appears in table 14, appendix 1) was 31,884 per year.
	Analyses of the distribution of household income are based on equivalised household incomes. These equivalised incomes are standardised to take into account the different size and composition of households. The lower limit of the top decile for equivalised household gross income in 2004/05 was 53,239 per year.
	Separate figures are published on the earnings of employees although they are not directly comparable with these figures on household income, which cover all sources of income (not just income from employment) and all households in the population.

Deportation Appeals

Alistair Carmichael: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs in how many cases before Asylum and Immigration Tribunals applications for bail pending termination of the appeal were made in each of the last five years; and in how many cases where a bail application had been made pending a deportation order the Home Office opposed the application for bail.

Bridget Prentice: Information shows that in each of the last five financial years the Asylum and Immigration Tribunal (AIT) and its predecessor the Immigration Appellate Authority (IAA) received the following volume of bail applications:
	
		
			   Number of applications 
			 2005-06 4,144 
			 2004-05 2,711 
			 2003-04 2,135 
			 2002-03 2,236 
			 2001-02 3,093 
		
	
	The AIT does not collate information on the volume of bail applications arising from particular appeal types nor the number of applications opposed by the Home Office. Such information could be obtained only by incurring disproportionate costs.

Gambling

Nicholas Winterton: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what role he has in relation to Government policy on gambling and planning.

John Prescott: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Surrey Heath (Michael Gove) today.

Business Rates

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if she will place in the Library a copy of documents relating to the attendance of the head of the rating policy team at the Institute of Revenues Rating and Valuation conference on post revaluation and current issues on maintaining the business rates system in Blackpool on 11 to 12 May 2006.

Phil Woolas: A copy of the slides for the presentation entitled business ratespost revaluation and current issues, given to this conference by the head of the business rates team in my Department are on the internet at:-
	http://www.irrv.tv/conference/enforcement/qwertyuiop/Speakers_Slides_CollEnf06_v1.pdf and copies have also been placed in the Libraries of the House.

Bail Applications

Alistair Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department in how many cases before Asylum and Immigration Tribunals applications were made for bail pending termination of the appeal in each of the last five years.

Bridget Prentice: I have been asked to reply.
	Information shows that in each of the last five financial years the Asylum and Immigration Tribunal (AIT) and its predecessor the Immigration Appellate Authority (IAA) received the following volume of bail applications:
	
		
			   Number of applications 
			 2005-06 4,144 
			 2004-05 2,711 
			 2003-04 2,135 
			 2002-03 2,236 
			 2001-02 3,093 
		
	
	The AIT does not collate information on the volume of bail applications arising from particular appeal types nor the number of applications opposed by the Home Office. Such information could be obtained only by incurring disproportionate costs.